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Kessid
= Kessid = Kessid, is a large port city, located just north of the small peninsula (look closely at the Campaign Map) on the southeastern tip of the country of Irroquin. The Kessid Harbor is sheltered from most severe weather by the peninsula, and, is of a moderate depth so that ships have no problems approaching the docks. Because of its location in the natural harbor just inside the mouth of Jannen's Bay, Kessid sees very high levels of ocean-going traffic. Most of this is trading ships that ferry goods back and forth across the southern shore of Xaria. The Talrydam River is navigable upstream to nearly the western border, so, many flat bottom craft bring goods and supplies to the inner cities of Irroquin. Kessid is also the first port of note on most trans-oceanic voyages to Gherin Culloch, to Dominia, and other points south and east. The city itself is actually the collection of what once were several smaller towns. The city center is located near the confluence of two rivers, the smaller Brine River, and the larger Talrydam River. These two deep and slow-flowing rivers come together just before entering the Harbor. This conjoining of water made for many piecemeal communities, which, over the years, have become one large city. There are over forty bridges of varying sizes that crisscross the rivers, streams, inlets of the harbor, etc. There are in fact several parts of the city that are built on fill, or, even some buildings are literally on stilts above the water. This map simplifies some of the borders between natural features and neighborhoods (a pdf that allows you to zoom in and look around is here). Keep in mind that the 'lines on the map' are in reality very fuzzy. There are many smaller streams and brooks that run into both the rivers and harbor that are not shown, and the coast varies from rocky shoreline to sandy beach. Only High Town and The Hedges are without docking facilities for trading vessels. There, the private docks are guarded by a detachment of the City Watch. The city itself is what you might consider a metropolis, given the period, and has all of the positives and negatives that come from being a large city. Nearly 30,000 people are thought to live in or near the city at any given time. During the winter months, the number is believed to be considerably higher, as people travel here to the more pleasant climate. About one third of the residents are farmers or fishermen, and their families. Another third are permanent resident artisans and business people, who are the lifeblood of the city. The remaining members of the population are the edges of the society, that is, the monarchy and military, the wealthy and destitute, thieves and scholars, as well as people in the city for short duration stays (like adventurers, seagoing crew members and merchants). Kessid is known for its fine galleries of locally-created artwork, and its eateries and breweries. The chefs are widely traveled; the food is renowned as exotic. With grains from around the known lands, the beers and ales are unrivaled outside of Thorin. The artwork too has a cosmopolitan feel, with works from divergent cultures such as the frescos of Dominia, and the intricate wickerwork of the Halflings. The cosmopolitan feel of Kessid is clearly seen in the vendors, and in the faces of the people walking the streets. Also, throughout Kessid small alters, offering fountains, temples and churches minister to many of the more prominent faiths of Xaria, and a few of the more obscure. If while in the city you feel the need to give offerings or pray to your deity, you are fairly assured to find the right tree, pot, view or building in which to do so. Kessid also has a darker side. The royal house of Irroquin often puts coin before order. In Kessid, everyone knows of the organized nature of the thieves, beggars and assassins. Rather than wasting resources working against these guilds, the monarchy and city government are content to simply profit from the relationship. This arrangement lends to a city that is neither free from crime, nor buried under the threat of it. As an adventurer in Kessid, you will find your treasure and coin purse lightened quickly, and, not only by thieves. The city rejoices at providing opportunities for people to spend their money. There is food, entertainment, merchandise and property for sale. While walking down a street you can buy a dwarfen ale, a halfling hat box, a room for the night and an escort of your choice to keep you company all in the space of thirty yards. The city proper is protected with a fifteen foot high timber wall, with a platform on which Guardsmen patrol. More of a symbolic barrier, this wall would not stand up to a determined foe. Within the city there have evolved fairly distinct 'Quarters', where like-minded business people have built their shops. Though there are now more than four, originally the Quarters were just that, the four sections of the city. A large-scale conflict occurred in 503, between factions of the various guilds within the city. The Pick & Chisel Tavern became the focal point of the strife. Those who were there will not soon forget the 'night of consequence'. Quarters Mason's Quarter The Mason’s Quarter, in the northwest, is home to many of the guilded workers of the city. Though dominated by the freemasons, this neighborhood is home to many of the longshoremen and the city employees (the Watch, the Lamplighters, etc.) During the daytime, the Mason’s Quarter is busy with activity. At the docks small river boats arriving from upstream with recently quarried stone are unloaded. Some of the stone is then cross-loaded onto ships bound for other ports, while the higher quality stone is brought into the various sculptors’ studios. While there are indeed Taverns and Inns in this Quarter, they cater to the working families, so, the fare is neither lauded nor expensive. Most other businesses here simply serve the working class, so, very few visitors make it a point to visit this Quarter. As most residents know, and, as visitors will quickly overhear, it is thought that the Beggar’s Guild controls much of the goings-on in the Mason’s Quarter. The Pick & Chisel Tavern is said to be their ‘office’. Low Town To the east of the Mason’s Quarter lies Low Town. This is a portion of the city that is rarely visited by anyone who does not live there. Here live most of the residents of the city who hold menial jobs, tavern-staff, street sweepers, hack drivers, as well as many of the families who work the farms that surround the city. This neighborhood was once very prosperous, but, as the city grew, the money moved south of the rivers, and Low Town was left to age and decay. The buildings here are all old, by current standards. The businesses are few and far between, and even then provide only the staples of living. There is not much profit to be had in Low Town. The thieves and assassins guilds are said to have their offices here, where their members will not stand out. In the winter of 508, an old church that had been standing empty was purchased and occupied by missionaries from the Church of the Mother. With the Spring, the people affiliated with the church have begun prepping caches of supplies for shipment to Hyrm-Chel. Nightly worship ceremonies, as well as morning vigils, have grown from only a few followers to larger groups from the surrounding poor neighborhoods. Fisherman's Quarter & The Wharf The northeastern most part of Kessid is the Fishermen’s Quarter. It is home to the families who work the sea. Some homes here have been held by a particular family for generations. A mark of pride is a tradition of fishing going back to the Malaric Age, before the plague. This Quarter is also not much of a draw for visitors, for there are few attractions, and, a stranger garners a fair bit of attention from the locals. Also, the place literally reeks of the sea and fish from countless generations performing their ‘noble craft’. However, in the south near The Wharf, there are many Restaurants specializing in fresh caught seafood. These establishments are often not mentioned to visitors; a private secret of the residents. Along the north shore of the Talrydam River is what the residents call The Wharf. This is a collection of docks, and warehouses. Almost exclusively this area is focused on the movement of trade goods from ship to caravan, and back again. During the day this area is a hive of activity; during the spring winds nearly every pier will be occupied by a ship of some kind. Foreign Quarter Across the Talrydam is the Foreign Quarter. This neighborhood is populated by many of the non-human residents of Kessid, as well as some human communities from other lands, for instance, the northernmost portion of this neighborhood is almost exclusively Halgudari. There are communities of dwarfs, halflings, and some elves. Over the years the Foreign Quarter has evolved into an organic and strange place, with massive homes of stone, built to the specifications of an eccentric old long beard right next to a glade of saplings, encircled with a hedgerow, the home to an elvish businessman. Starting in mid-504, most of the elven members of the city closed up their homes and shops, and headed for their ancestral homeland to help defend it against the monster horde. Though only some of these buildings are maintained by contracted workers, in-general there is little sign that they are in essence five-years abandoned. The elves are well-known for the quality of their craftsmanship, which is clearly in evidence amongst these beautiful emtpy buildings and properties. Most of these elven-owned and now-abandoned properties are in the Foreign Quater, though there are some scattered elsewhere around the city. City Center & Palace Hill To the south of the Foreign Quarter lie City Center, and the Palace Hill. Here, you will find many shrines and cathedrals to the varying gods, as well as the houses of government. Also here is the garrison of City Watch tasked to protect the crown, and the training ground for all Watchmen. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to travel these streets, and will be plied with all sorts of foods and goods. The chapels and shrines are usually open to visitors (who are willing to drop a tithe in the pot); some are exquisite examples of human, dwarfen, and even elvish architecture. The palace itself lies upon the highest ground in the city. From its battlements one can look over the entire city, and a majority of the harbor. The palace is both a working center of the monarchy, but also stands as a fortress, once capable of holding the city's population and withstanding a lengthy siege. Though never tested, and, now much too small to accommodate a meaningful portion of the populace, it is still a source of pride for the residents of Kessid. Mages' Quarter Across the Brine River you find the Mages’ Quarter. The presence of the Mages’ Guild hall, and the businesses that cater to its members, makes this a most interesting neighborhood. There are many of the city’s finest Taverns and Inns here, as well as several large shops that hold strange and mysterious things. Visitors are common, as mages from around the known lands travel here to meet, eat, and vacation. Old Town Old Town is in many ways very similar to Low Town, for it is the remnants of a much older town, now surrounded by Kessid. However, Old Town has two things in its favor. First, it is in fact where the city of Kessid was first built. And, because of the wealthy surrounding neighborhoods, much money has been spent restoring the ‘quaint’ feeling of the antique buildings. Where Low Town has decayed, Old Town has prospered. Visitors will find several museums and businesses that cater to the experience that a resident of Old Town would have had, nearly 450 years ago. In Old Town there is fine dining, entertainment (the two theatres are here), and several of the famous Kessid breweries. Artisan's Quarter The Artisan’s Quarter is everything bohemian. The buildings have been altered and decorated in wildly contrasting styles. One can find examples of the art and music of every culture on Xaria. Walking the streets by day is a bewildering experience of color, sound and movement. By night, the Quarter often becomes a large street party, with poetry readings, impromptu musical concerts, and street theatre. Though on the surface this neighborhood seems superficial, in fact many great artists can be found. Around Xaria, bards and artists will seek to visit the Artisan’s Quarter, for the education, or inspiration. High Town High Town, as so many of the residents call it, is the area where persons of wealth keep their homes. The community is surrounded by a stone wall, nearly twenty five feet high, with three gates to the Artisan’s Quarter, two to Old Town, and two for The Hedges. By day these gates are open, and visitors are welcomed (after passing the Watchmen, who are checking for ‘undesirables’.) At night, however, the gates close and only residents, Lamplighters, and guardsmen may pass. • Harbor Gate – Closest to the water, this gate is used to carrying the newly-purchased goods from the shops of the Artisan’s Quarter to the homes of the wealthy. • Artist’s Gate – This gate leads into the heart of the Artisan’s Quarter. Nearby are many of the more famous galleries and artist’s studios. • Malar’s Gate – A triumphant arch, built to commemorate the founding of the Directorate of the Chevalier, this gate is used as a ceremonial site for weddings, funerals, and other special events. Highly decorative, this Gate has its own staff of maintenance personnel. • Old Town Gate – This gate is busiest of the five. Once in Old Town, you will find yourself nearby the theatres, many taverns, and the most popular markets and bazaars. • South Gate – used mostly for horse and cart traffic, this gate is much larger than the others. It is said that a person of sufficient height can stand in this gate and see through the High Quarter to the harbor, straight down the South Road. The High Quarter itself is entertaining for a visitor simply to look at how the other half lives. The houses here are extraordinary, both in size and grandeur. There are several Taverns, however, they charge prices to match the purse of the residents, and, therefore most visitors are out of their league. The shore of the Harbor is not walled, per se. There is a sea wall, and, the Guard has both spotting towers and regular patrols, to make sure no undesirables come ashore here, unknowingly. Through High Town is The Hedges. Here, the wealthiest members of Irroquin society reside. (In fact, many houses here are owned by wealthy foreigners, who ‘winter’ here.) This is also a stone-walled neighborhood, and, the only access is through High Town. The neighborhood’s name is derived from the huge hedgerow that grows along the inside of the wall, so that the residents are able to block out the presence of the unwashed masses just outside their homes. (The Guard often complains of the riskiness of the hedge just inside the wall, where someone could hide. The residents of The Hedges will hear nothing of it, though.) Those who live here have papers they must show at the gates to gain entry (most of the guards wave through familiar faces without the formality of paperwork.) People who have business within require a letter from a resident, authorizing them to enter the neighborhood, and still, most time workers will be escorted by the City Guard. Guilds and Organizations Lamplighters Guild Thieves Guild of Kessid Beggars Guild City Watch Mason's Guild Mages' Guild Hall of Travelers Named Establishments in Kessid The Pick & Chisel Tavern - Mason's Quarter The Barking Fool Tavern - Foreign Quarter The Totem - a Dakkoran dive bar - Low Town The Cocking Crow - Artisan's Quarter The Spear and the Net - a favorite of locals, kept hidden from visitors - Fisherman's Quarter Bouillabaisse - fine Galluran seafood - the Artisan's Quarter Glasses of Grapes - a wine bar near Butcher's Row in the southern Artisan's Quarter The Bloody Scythe - an undead theme-restaurant (waiters in facepaint and costume) in the Artisan's Quarter